


The Wardrobe and the Wrong Turn

by Rosencrantz



Category: Chronicles of Narnia - C. S. Lewis
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Gen, new ending, pevensies are adults
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-08
Updated: 2017-09-08
Packaged: 2018-12-25 06:27:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,229
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12030093
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rosencrantz/pseuds/Rosencrantz
Summary: AU: Pevensies come back to our world as adults.It wouldn't be easy, would it.





	The Wardrobe and the Wrong Turn

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Doranwen](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Doranwen/gifts).



> Thank you to Dreamiflame and Snacky for the beta!

After much time spent tangled in the dark thicket of branches -- now coats? -- King Peter's hands at last made purchase with something solid. He pushed with a great heave and the door to the wardrobe burst open, with the kings and queens tumbling out. 

"What could this be?" said Queen Lucy, straightening up and offering her sister Queen Susan a hand. Susan stood carefully, trying not to tread on her long beautiful hair. 

"Brother and sisters each, I feel we have made a most grave error," said King Edmund as he looked around the nearly empty room that was fashioned so differently from the architecture of Narnia. He remembered now, being so much smaller in this very room and so resentful of the world. His siblings, his horrible school, the war, his parents. 

His parents.

He looked down at himself, grown and adult.

Was the war still on? Did they live still?

It was then Mrs. Macready burst in, the visitors she was giving a tour of the house to on her tail. 

"Who in the blazes is in here--" she got out before catching sight of the Kings and Queens and screaming. "Burglars! Thieves!"

"How dare you accuse us of such a thing!" said Susan, drawing up to her full height. "There is nothing in this place that we would lower ourselves to--"

"Professor! Professor Kirke! Get your sword!" yelled Mrs. Macready. The visitors looked deeply confused.

Hiding, thought King Edmund. We'd been hiding once and trying not to be caught by this woman. He struggled to dig her name out of his memories.

Professor Kirke came as summoned, waving an old army sword like a madman. Lucy let out a little giggle.

"Oh, he looks so very fierce!" she said.

Kirke stopped and set his sword down sheepishly when the Kings and Queens did not return his aggression.

"Professor," said Mrs. Macready, grabbing his arm. "They're madmen! Broken in! Where are the children?"

"I fear I must tell thee - we are those children," said Edmund.

"You are not," said Mrs. Macready. "Don't you lie on top of being a madman."

Edmund spoke slowly as the memories came back to him. "You told us to stay away when you had parties over," and as he spoke he found himself speaking more like the people around him and less like the King he was.

"Oh dear," said Professor Kirke.

"We've been away," said Edmund. "A very long time."

Peter and Lucy were looking at Edmund. Susan realized first what was going on and raced to the wardrobe, throwing the doors open all the way and pushing her way in. She let out a despairing cry.

"It's closed! There's no way back!" 

Peter sat on the floor with a thump.

"Did He tell you this would happen?" said Professor Kirke gently.

"We were trying to get a wish granted," said Lucy softly. "That was all."

"Mrs. Macready, valued guests, I'm afraid that things are going quite out of hand for the day so if you could all head out now -- I'll speak with you later, Mrs. Macready -- I'll attend to this business," said Professor Kirke. The very confused guests and housekeeper filed out of the room.

"I've been there," said the professor. "It hurts to come back."

"We didn't even skip the war," said Edmund.

"No. But we'll do what we can now. There's no reason to sit and wallow. There's things to work out. Who'll handle your ration books, how to break this to your parents, and all the education you've missed out on!" said Professor Kirke, clapping his hands. "I've always loved a challenge!"

"I'd rather not be a challenge," said Peter. He looked at Edmund, then hugged Lucy and Susan. "It'll be all right, old girls."

"He wouldn't want you to give into despair, children," said Professor Kirke. The Kings and Queens stiffened.

"We are Kings and Queens of Narnia, professor," said Lucy. She touched her crown as if to remind herself. Edmund nodded.

"We are due respect. We've done a great deal while we've been away."

"You'll have to tell me all about it," said the professor. "But what you've done in another land unknown to others does not quite qualify as experience in this world. Trust me, I know. I know all too well."

The Kings and Queens exchanged glances. 

"Ivy's put on a bit of stew," said Professor Kirke. "It was for the guests but they've been sent off. Lots for us, hm? And we can make a plan."

Edmund nodded. He could work with a plan. He was trying to recall everything he could about his home world, but even now he was seeing how much of it was skewed by the fact he had seen it only through the eyes of a child. This was no time to panic. It was time to focus.

His siblings had similarly composed themselves and followed the professor down to the dining room.

"Not often I get to eat with kings and queens, eh?" said the professor. "I knew the first king and queen of Narnia. Helen and Frank. Good, solid people. How did it work out?"

Edmund sniffed the stew and was overtaken by another flood of memories.

"We were the only humans when we arrived in Narnia. Us and… whatever the White Witch was."

Kirke stiffened, much like the siblings had before.

"You knew her then too?" said Edmund mildly. "She makes an impression."

"Mm. She does," said Professor Kirke.

"She was awful," said Lucy. "Just awful. She did so many terrible things…"

Kirke nodded slowly. "She's my fault, I'm afraid. I touched what I shouldn't."

"I ate what I oughtn't," said Edmund wryly. "She's solved now."

"Glad to hear it. I'm going to need you four to write to your mother. I believe we can convince her you're who you say you are - mothers so often know their own. And I couldn't live with myself if plan one was to tell her you'd died," said Professor Kirke. He spooned up some stew and tasted it with a satisfied noise. 

"What could we say?" said Peter. "Tell her we've been through some changes might be putting it lightly."

"We could blame it on the good country air," said Lucy with a smile that faded. "Oh, mother's going to be so upset. What about father?"

"That's if he survives, Lucy," said Edmund. "We're in the middle of a war again. And not like our war - a horrid, gory war with bombs and neighbourhoods disappearing." 

She shuddered with memories.

"I suppose… well, it's a bit mad, but there must be a reason this happened," said Peter thoughtfully. "We stopped one war. Why couldn't we stop another?"

"Do you mean you believe Aslan brought us back to help here?" said Susan. "True Kings and Queens of England and all that?"

"He's not cruel," said Lucy. "He wouldn't have just cast us out… There must have been a purpose. And if that purpose is making sure people like father get home and this whole horror ends, then I'd say that would have been a wish worth making on the white stag."

The other siblings nodded in assent.

Professor Kirke leaned on his hands, watching them.

"I think we're having the glimmerings of a plan, Professor," said Edmund. 

"Well, I always did fancy having another adventure," said the Professor.


End file.
